Pivo Pils | Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

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Notes / Commercial Description:
Pivo Pils is a classically rendered pilsner with a West Coast dry-­‐hopping twist, showcasing stylistic inﬂuences from Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic. Lighter beer styles like pilsner have been hijacked by industrial lager beer in the United States, and it’s time for craft brewers to take it back. Pivo Pils oﬀers impeccable balance with ﬂoral aromatics, spicy herbal nuances, and bergamot zest and lemongrass notes from dry hopping with German Saphir hops.

Reviews by Norica:

More User Reviews:

This is just a stunning example of a Pils. It has everything you'd expect and then some- especially in the aroma. Not only is there an abundance of grassy hops and biscuity malt, but dried flowers and candied lemon rind weave their way in there beautifully creating a fantastic hybrid take on the style that stays true to its roots. Overall it's vibrant and lively, yet simultaneously easy to drink; the finish is dry and bitter, yet not overwhelmingly so. There are some hoppy pilsners that leave me with an overbearing resiny sensation on the palate, but not so with this one- it's aggressive for sure, but still knows why it was invited to the party in the first place.

While hoppier than the average German pilsner, this actually sticks quite close to the style. And this is not a bad thing. While Pivo Pils may not be the most exciting beer, it's not supposed to be. It's just an easy to drink beer that would pair quite well with a cookout. Or snow shoveling. It's a drinkin' beer.

1L howler from Sherbrooke Liquor Store - nice to finally see this brewery's wares up here in the Great (currently not) White North!

This beer pours a crystal clear, bright pale golden yellow colour, with two hefty fingers of puffy, rocky, and somewhat fizzy eggshell white head, which leaves some droopy cloud lace around the glass as it quickly blows off.

It smells of grainy and crackery pale malt, wet cereals, sharp lemon peel, dry matchsticks, a gentle hard water flintiness, and further leafy, weedy, and spicy green hop bitters. The taste is bready and doughy pale malt, a hint of old-school gasohol, muddled lemon notes, a bit of white and black pepper aerosol spice, and more leafy, grassy, and floral hoppiness.

The carbonation is quite understated in its wan and hard to get a bead on frothiness, the body a decent medium weight, and actually pretty smooth, with a gentle airy creaminess arising shortly after take-off here. It finishes off-dry, the grainy malt standing tough, while the waning citrus, petrol, and spicy hops linger about.

Overall, this is indeed a fairly well-made version of the style. Although they call it 'pivo' - the Czech word for beer - the influences are typically German (even the lemon notes, which come from an application of a relatively new-fangled German hop, Saphir). Tasty enough, and solid in its 'reclaim the Pils' bearing. Now, if I can just get over my pissy attitude concerning the Germans beating my Italy in freaking penalties earlier today, all would be well.

Looks aren't exceptional. Not a long lasting head or much lacing. Aroma is "beery". But the taste really delivers on the hoppy pils brewery description/promise. The hoppy character sends me back 40 years to the "Pilsener Urquell" of the time. Urquell had a deeper amber color and more malt complexity, but Firestone Walker is in the running for the best Pils currenly available, at least for my taste buds (I hope "taste buds" wasn't registered by AB Inbev.)

Very fresh can 04/05. Pours a clear yellow color with a very small white head. Smell had cereal,grain and biscuit with floral hops. Taste followed the nose with a good dose of floral hops. Mouth feel was crips and very dry and bitter in the finish and was under carbonated. Taste was good on this but this is a Pils i wont be looking for again.

I had a pint at the FW brewery in Paso Robles. Pivo being Czech for 'beer', I was expecting a traditional European Pilsner. Although this is a well made beer, it violates my sense of what a Pilsner should be. I've had many, many Pilseners from Germany. This is too hoppy. And it's the wrong kind of hops.

Why do American brewers feel they have to indiscriminately dump tons of cascade hops into everything?

This beer pours a clear gold with a solid head. The aroma is crisp, with solid biscuit malts, black pepper, orange peel, toasted almonds, mild cinnamon, and a sharp, high note I have trouble identifying. The flavor leads with full, biscuit and brand muffin malts, with black pepper, clove, anise, and a slightly woodiness, and just enough bitterness to balance. The mouthfeel is light and very crisp, with bold fizzing carbonation. Overall this is an excellent pils - so crisp, malt driven, with just enough bitterness to make it quite moreish. This is going down quick.

Pours a clear golden yellow with a foamy off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy swaths of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, grass, and hay. Taste is much the same with a mild herbal bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty, refreshing, and very easy to drink.

Not what I'm looking for in a pilsener. I expect the classic noble hop, crisp, grassy, foamy, quenching vibe. Seemed more like a lager version of an APA. A fine beer though, being crafted by the reputable FW, just not in my wheelhouse.

Poured from 12oz can into glass. Stamped on can bottom is 'CANNED ON 04/19/18 12:10'.
Clear, pale gold colored body. One finger of white colored head which reduces to thin cap and ring. Leaves behind some spots of lacing.
Bready aroma with bright, citrus hops. A little yeast comes through.
Taste is heavy with bright, citrus hops, which is joined by floral hops at the end. Bready malt is there in the background. A little spicy. Flavorful tailing off of the after taste.
Medium mouth feel. Good carbonation. Crisp.
Certainly a hoppy pilsner, but has the main attributes of the style. Very drinkable, and would be a good choice for a session.

Beer poured an amber gold with two inch head. Fresh pine hops with some bready malts. Flavor was a finessed bitterness with malt support in middle and beer finished crisp. Reminded me of Prima Pils! Spot on for style,. Very refreshing and satisfying. Grabbed a six when I was on the west coast. Wish I could get this regularly

Smell: Herbal, grassy hops with that sweet bready smell that reminds you what a pilsner should smell like

Taste: Unrivaled. Easily the best year round pilsner available in the US. Perfect amount of hoppiness and malt sweetness.

Feel: Perfectly carbonated, medium body feel.

Overall: I could drink this beer every day for the rest of my life. I would easily take this over the hopped up imperial IPAs or pastry barrel aged stouts. This is what beer should be. Vastly underrated.

I'm a pilsner fan, and this one is unique. No kidding on the hops- it'll punch like MacGregor, but it's smooth like Floyd. Crisp and refreshing like a Pils should be. I think IPA fans may like to try this Pils for a change. Drink up ye sons of glory.

This may be my favorite pilsner. Rich straw color with light white foam, some lacing. Smell is straw and grassy, with the slightest hint of banana. Taste is round, and slightly fruity so the clean, crisp finish is a nice ending. Love the hops throughout. An especially nice pilsner for the winter months.

A-The beer is very light yellow-ish in color. It is crystal clear with active, chunky carbonation. The rocky head is white and starts out at almost two fingers tall. Retention is quite good.

S-The aroma offers a little bit of the traditional pils malts with cracker scents and a light honey sweetness. But the new-world influence is strong with fragrant floral hops quickly taking over. The hops suggest perfume with a bit of tropical fruit.

T-The taste is similar. The traditional pils flavors are represented by a little bit of dry bread and biscuit, some grain, and just a hint of sweetness. The American influence is represented by hops that are mostly floral. The finish gives just a bit of grassy, pepper kick.

M-The body is light, crisp and crushable. This stuff goes down incredibly easy.

O-This beer is obviously not traditional or true to a pils style, but it is not a hop-bomb india pale lager disguised as a pilsner, either. Rather, it is a hoppy pilsner, just like the label says. I'm normally not one to endorse style bending, but this beer is just so damn good and easy to drink. I like IPAs, but I would drink this all day (from the can) instead of many of the IPAs out there.

This brew pours a light golden/straw color which is mostly clear with heavy carbonation and a white, fluffy three finger head which lasts for several minuets. There is moderate lacing on the glass, good for a Pilsner. Some of the head remains until the end.

The smell is musty, straw and wet hay, just like a good Pils should be. There is also a grassy, grainy smell along with the smell of light peppery hops and lemon.

The taste follows the nose with a clean slightly dry taste of straw and lemon along with light peppery hops scattered throughout from beginning to end. There is a crisp, cracker like taste with ending in the cleanest finish I have ever had in a lager. There is also a very slight grassy, gritty taste on the back end, just like a Pils should have, which does not interfere with the clean finish in any way.

Overall, this just might be the perfect example of what a Pilsner should be. It is the best Pils I have had to date.

Pours into a pilsner a dull lighter golden with a full one finger bone white head atop that left multiple broken rings of lace behind.Crisp aromas with some fresh cut grass notes along with a tinge of iron,I detect some honeyed sweetness in there as well.Dry and crisp flavors with some cereal notes in the finish,the hop profile is more herbal and slightly peppery.A solid easy drinking pilsner with some substance.